1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to devices for holding and stabilizing cylindrical objects and, more particularly, to a portable and adjustable receiver that is configured and dimensioned to be larger than the outer diameter of a cigar so that it receives a cigar with a loose fit and retains the cigar in a preferred orientation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Attempts have been made over the years to accommodate resting of a lit cigar in a manner that provides for easy manual manipulation of the cigar while safely locating the cigar away from flammable material. While various devices exist for other objects, such as candleholders, such designs do not address the desirable features associated with smoking a cigar.
For example, Schlueter et al., U.S. Pat. No. 414,871, describes and illustrates a candleholder that includes a spring-biased clamp for attaching the candleholder onto a Christmas tree. One handle of the spring-biased clamp utilizes a single wire clamp to vertically orient a candle. This design would not work for a cigar because it does not facilitate easy placement and removal of the cigar. Rather, it is designed to firmly hold the candle in position on the tree.
A design specific for cigars is found in Knudsen, U.S. Pat. No. 1,198,929, which describes a cigar holder that clamps a cigar in a vertical orientation. This design requires permanent attachment to a fixed surface and is not transportable. In addition, the holder fails to accommodate the reduced length of a cigar as it burns down.
Allen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,346, pertains to an incense-burning device that includes a spring-biased clamp, which can be clamped onto an edge of a vehicle ashtray, and a cylindrical container. This design is not sized to hold a cigar and the clamp member will not secure the weight of a cigar. Moreover, the clamp requires a surface set at a specific angle in order to maintain the upright orientation of the incense.
In U.S. Design Pat. No. D385,940 a cylindrical cigar holder that has a closed end and an open end is illustrated. The use of a stake requires the holder be used only on the ground, which can result in the holder and cigar being left behind.